Lennart de GrootPaleomagnetic laboratory Fort Hoofddijk - Utrecht University

Outreach

I consider science communication or outreach an integral part of my work as a scientist, and I regularly contribute to documentaries on radio and tv, pieces in the science pages of newspapers, and articles in popular scientific magazines and websites. Furthermore, I am one of the initiaters of the Hoe?Zo! Show, a science communication program aimed at children of 8-10 years old.

My key outreach engagements:

Jeugjournaal logo Atlas logo Volkskrant logo HZS logo Trouw logo
2021: NOS Jeugdjournaal, a leading national news program for children, reported about our field work on the active flow of Cumbre Vieja, and subsequent laboratory work. 2021: Atlas is a weekly science show on prime time Dutch national tv. I was in the studio twice to tell about the eruption of the Cumbre Vieja volcano on La Palma and our field work there. 2021: The Volkskrant, a Dutch national newspaper, featured a three-page article about our field work on La Palma, including a report about the research in our laboratory. Ongoing: The Hoe?Zo! Show project is a science communication project for 9-11 year old children that I developed together with Barbara Braams. More info: www.hoezoshow.nl/english 2021: Daily national newspaper Trouw published an article about the Hoe?Zo! Show project, describing the mutual benefit for the school kids and PhDs candidates involved.
HZS logo DKVN logo Klokhuis logo UvNL logo HZS logo
2021: Spijkers met Koppen is a weekly satirical news show on NPO Radio 2, a national radio station. I was interviewed about our field work on La Palma during the eruption of the Cumbre Vieja volcano. 2021: De Kennis van Nu is a documentary series on Dutch national tv. I featured in an episode about the Earth's magnetic field. We filmed fieldwork on Mt. Etna, and measurements in Fort Hoofddijk. 2020: Klokhuis is a daily science/knowledge show for children on Dutch national tv, that exists since 1988. In January 2020, I featured in an episode on the Earth's magnetic field. 2020: The Universiteit van Nederland is an online platform that hosts short public lectures by Dutch scientists. I gave a lecture on the Earth's magnetic field and how its short term behavior is studied. 2017: The Nationale Wetenschaps Quiz (National Science Quiz) was a yearly science quiz on Dutch national tv. I was one of the scientific contestants in 2017.
 

Complete list of my outreach engagements:

2021
110. Dutch national newspaper Trouw reported on the Hoe?Zo! Show project that I developed together with Barbara Braams (VU Amsterdam): In de ‘Hoe?Zo!Show’ leggen promovendi wetenschap uit aan kinderen (en als ze falen moeten ze dansen) ('PhD candidates explain science to children in the Hoe?Zo Show (and if they fail they have to dance')), December 3 Trouw
109. The Volkskrant, a leading Dutch national newspaper, extensively covered our field work during the Cumbre Vieja eruption on La Palma. We were in touch with the reporter, Maartje Bakker, before, during and after the field work. The three-page article also covers our work in the paleomagnetic laboratory: Vulkaanuitbarsting? Deze Nederlandse geologen gaan er direct op af ('Volcanic eruption? These Dutch geologists go there immediately'), November 13 Volkskrant
108. Spijkers met Koppen is a satirical news show on NPO Radio 2, a Dutch national radio station. I was interviewed about our field work on the active volcano on La Palma, November 6 NPO Radio 2
107. Interview on Atlas (NTR), a weekly scientific news show on Dutch national tv, to tell about our field work on the active vulcano on La Palma. Since the exclusion zone was inaccessible to journalists, we filmed all footage for this item ourselves using GoPros, November 3 NPO
106. NOS Jeugdjournaal, a daily news show for children on Dutch national tv, covered our field work on La Palma and also filmed in our laboratories at Fort Hoofddijk: Deze Nederlanders komen vlakbij rommelende vulkaan ('These Dutchies get really close to the rumbling volcano'). This item was in the top-10 of best viewed items on Jeugdjournaal's website for the first week of November, November 3 Jeugdjournaal
105. Report on Dutch national NPO Radio 1 about our fieldwork on the Cumbre Vieja volcano in La Palma to sample the youngest possible basaltic lava: Nederlandse wetenschappers onderzoeken het aardmagneetveld op La Palma ('Dutch scientists study the Earth's magentic field on La Palma'), November 3 NPO Radio 1
104. Contribution to an article by Govert Schilling in the Volkskrant: Klimaatverandering zonder mensen: de invloed van de kosmos ('Climate change without humans: the influence of the cosmos'), October 15 Volkskrant
103. Interview for a news item on the eruption of the Cumbra Vieja volcano on La Palma in Atlas (NTR), a weekly scientific news show of the Dutch public broadcast service NTR (starting from 11:00 min), September 22 NTR
102. Interview for Het aardmagnetisch veld beweegt. Hoe gevaarlijk is dat? (The Earth's magnetic field is dynamic. Is that dangerous?), a science radio program/podcast on NPO Radio 1, a Dutch national public broadcaster, September 1 Radio 1 or Podcast
101. De dolende noordpool (the wandering North pole), a special of the De Kennis van Nu ('Today's knowledge'), a scientific documentary program of the Dutch public broadcast service NTR, August 25 NTR
100. Contribution to De magnetische Noordpool is op drift: hoe de wereld er bij zou liggen na een ompoling (The magnetic North pole is drifting: what the world would look like after a reversal), and article in Volkskrant, Dutch national newspaper, April 24 Volkskrant
99. Expert opinion for Digging up magnetic clues, an article on gathering data on the past state of the Earth's magnetic field from pottery in Physics World, March edition Physics World
98. Nederlands Tijdschrift voor Natuurkunde, Bijzondere werkplekken, an interview about fieldwork in the Netherlands journal of physics, March 1 NTvN
 
2020
97. Article on the new floor in Fort Hoofddijk made out of 30.000 of our own old samples in Chemical & Engineering News, magazine of the American Chemical Society: Rocking the floor C&EN
96. Lecture at the Universiteit van Nederland: 'Hoe beschermt de aarde onze WiFi?' ('How does the Earth protects our Wifi?'), June 18 UvNL
95. Article on the Earth's Magnetic field in Nederlands Tijdschrift voor Natuurkunde (Dutch Physics Magazine) together with Martha Kosters, May edition
94. Contribution to an article on Kennislink by Marlies ter Voorde on the oldest plate tectonics: 'Onze aardplaten blijken al 3,2 miljard jaar te bewegen' ('Our tectonic plates have been moving for 3.2 bilion jears already'), April 23 Kennislink
93. Featured in an episode about the Earth's magnetic field of 'het Klokhuis', a daily documentary show for primary school children and young teenagers on Dutch national television (NOS), January 15. het Klokhuis
 
2019
92. Posters series made together with Annique van der Boon to commemorate the AGU centennial for the GPE section of the American Geophysical Union: Geomagnetism, Paleomagnetism, Electromagnetism, and Physics of Magnetism posters, presented during the Fall Meeting in San Francisco, 10 December Researchgate
91. Organizer of the Hoe?Zo! Show during the Weekend van de Wetenschap (Weekend of Science), Utrecht University, together with Barbara Braams. The Hoe?Zo! Show is a live game show in which a team of PhD candidates must answer questions from kids in the audience, 6 October WvdW
90. Interview for an article by Hidde Middelweerd in popular science magazine KIJK: 'Noordpool trekt een sprintje' ('North pole makes a move'), on the recent, rapid movement of the North pole. August edition KIJK
89. Contribution to the column 'Onmogelijk onderzoek' ('Impossible research') in popular science magazine Quest: 'In de aardkern' ('Inside the Earth's core). August edition
88. Contribution to an article by Marlies ter Voorde in popular science magazine KIJK: 'Atmosfeer als waarzegger' ('Atmosphere as fortune teller'), on the predictability of Earthquakes by disturbances in the ionosphere. June edition
87. Interview on Radio M, a local news station, on my nomination for the New Scientist Young Talent Award 2019, April 25
86. Short article in Utrechts Nieuwsblad (AD) on my nomination for the New Scientist Young Talent Award 2019, April 24 AD/UN
85. Presentation on the transition to Open Science for members of the Tweede Kamer, the Dutch House of Representatives, and their policy advisors, together with Barbara Braams (VU Amsterdam), March 5
84. Citation in NRC: 'Open Access, mooi! Maar hoe dan?', an article by Ellen de Bruin en Marcel aan de Brugh on the transition to Open Access, February 9 NRC
83. Guest lecture on Earth Sciences for 'groep 6' (~9 year olds) at Utrechtse Schoolvereniging (elementary school), February 7
82. Contribution to a slider by NOSop3 on their Instagram channel on the rapid movement of the magnetic North pole and the origin of the Earth's magnetic field: 'Je kompas is het noorden kwijt', January 31 NOSop3 instagram
81. Interview on VRT Radio 1 (Belgium) on the update of the World Magnetic Model and the rapid movement of the geomagnetic North pole, January 30
80. Interview for/contribution to an explainer by Iris de Graaf on NOS.nl on the rapid movement of the magnetic North pole and the origin of the Earth's magnetic field: 'De magnetische noordpool verschuift sneller dan ooit gemeten, hoe zit dat?', January 30 NOS.nl
79. Interview on NPO Radio 1 (~4 min, Dutch national news station) on the update of the World Magnetic Model, and a reaction to a question from a listener in the column 'Jan Publiek', January 30, 6:54
78. Contribution to 'Vaste kern heeft magneetveld van de aarde net gered', an article by Marcel aan de Burgh in NRC on the origin of the Earth's inner core (January 29) NRC
77. Lecture for the Rector's league at Minkema College Woerden, a science lecture for high school students (January 22)
76. Interview for an article on Kennislink by Marlies ter Voorde on the recent behavior of the Earth's magnetic field: 'Vijf vragen over de wandelende noordpool', January 16 Kennislink
75. Interview for a report by Jeroen de Jager in Nieuws & Co on NPO Radio 1 (~7 min, Dutch national news station) on the origin of the Earth's magnetic field and its recent behavior, January 16, starts at 16:23 Radio 1
74. Interview on RTL nieuws on the recent behavior of the Earth's magnetic field, January 15, 18:00 RTL nieuws
73. Interview on Business News Radio (BNR) on the unforeseen update of the World Magnetic Model (~4 min, Dutch national news station), January 15, 8:45
72. Interview on NPO Radio 2 on the unforeseen update of the World Magnetic Model and its implications for airplanes (~3 min, Dutch national radio station), January 15, 8:20
71. Interview for 'De noordpool is aan de wandel, vertrouw niet op uw kompas', an article by Marlies ter Voorde in de Volkskrant on the unforeseen update of the World Magnetic Model, January 15 Volkskrant
 
2018
70. News item on NWO's website on the funding of my Open Competition proposal, December 27 NWO
69. Live interview in 'Spraakmakers' on NPO Radio 1 (Dutch national news station) on the challenges for young scientists in the transition to Open Access, December 5, 10:30 - 11:30 Radio 1
68. Article in the Opinion pages of de Volkskrant together with Barbara Braams on the challenges for young scientists in the transition to Open Access: 'Jonge wetenschappers verdienen zekerheid', December 4 Volkskrant
67. Citation and response of my William Gilbert Award 2018 in AGU's Eos, November 8 Eos
66. Live interview in 'Spraakmakers', a program on NPO Radio 1 (Dutch national public radio station), June 8, 10:30 - 11:30, on the recent simultaneous eruptions of a number of volcanoes around the world Radio 1
65. Interview for 'Moeder aarde is boos' ('Morther Earth is angry'), an article by Marcel Vink in Telegraaf (June 6, pp 6-7), and online Telegraaf
64. Interview for 'Waarom explodeert de ene vulkaan wel en de andere niet?' ('Why are some volcanoes explosive, while others are not?'), an article by NOS op 3 (June 4) NOS.nl
63. Scientist answering childrens' questions during the 'Klokhuis vragendag 2018' in NEMO Science Museum (Amsterdam), an interactive day promoting science amongst childeren in collaboration with national youth tv show 'Klokhuis' (May 27) NEMO
62. Contribution to 'Magnetisch veld van oceanen in kaart gebracht', an article by Laurien Onderwater on KIJK's website, a popular science magazine (April 12) KIJK
61. Judge in the jury of Utrecht University's Breaking Science competition, a pitch competition for young researchers, in which they have to explain their research for a general public (April 9) Breaking Science
60. Lecture for the Rector's league at Cals College Nieuwegein, a science lecture for high school students (March 19)
59. Guided lab tour at Fort Hoofddijk for a group of high school students from Comenius College Hilversum (February 19)
58. Lecture for the Dutch Royal Society for Geology and Mining (KNGMG), section Noord: 'Unraveling rapid variations in the Earth's magnetic field' (January 9)
 
2017
57. Participant in the Dutch National Science Quiz (Nationale Wetenschapsquiz), a 90 min. tv show aired on December 26 on national tv reaching a 12.2% market share (577.000 viewers). VPRO
56. Press release on my appearance on the Dutch National Science Quiz (Nationale Wetenschapsquiz) to be aired on Boxing Day (December 26) at 22:10, NPO2 UU
55. Lecture for the Rector's league at Camphusianum Gorinchem, a science lecture for high school students (December 18)
54. Lecture for the Rector's league at Christelijk Gynmasium Utrecht, a science lecture for high school students (December 7)
53. Guided lab-tour of Fort Hoofddijk for high school students of Revius Lyceum Doorn (November 30)
52. Press release regarding my participation in the Dutch 'National Science Quiz', by the VPRO, a Dutch public broadcasting network VPRO
51. Popular science lecture 'Snelle variaties in het aardmagneetveld ontrafeld' for the Netherlands branch of the Anchorites (November 16)
50. Interview for Editie NL (RTL 4), a daily television program focussing on national news, featuring an item on noise nuisance by low frequency sounds (October 31)
49. Eindelijk komt de zon weer vroeger op', article on Kennislink regarding the offset between sun set and sun rise times around the winter solstice. Kennislink
 
2016
48. Leidse Winterlezing (Winter lecture series) 'Snelle variaties in het aardmagneetveld ontrafeld', Rijksmuseum voor Oudheden, GEA kring Rijnland, (13 November) GEA Rijnland
47. 'Met het aardmagneetveld verdwijnt ook de atmosfeer’ article on Kennislink Kennislink
46. 'Lennart de Groot wint Vening Meineszprijs', an article in '.voetlicht' of Geo.brief, the newsletter of the Royal Dutch Society for Geologiy and Mining
45. 'Ongestoord meten', an article in 'In beeld' of the Dutch Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO)'s magazine Hypothese
44. Contribution to the article 'Magnetic vortices record history of Earth's magnetic field' by Ian Randall on Physicsworld.com Physicsworld
43. News item on Utrecht University's website regarding my Vening Meinesz prize 2016 UU
42. News item on NWO.nl (website of the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research) regarding my Vening Meinesz prize 2016 NWO
41. Article in Le Journal de l'ile de la Réunion covering our fieldwork there: 'Le volcan pour décrypter le champ magnétique terrestre' (March 26) pdf
40. Lab tour for final year high school students of the Barlaeus Grammar School in Amsterdam (February 19)
39. News item on 'DUB' (Utrecht University's independent newspaper) on the Outstanding Student Paper Award won by Annemarieke Béguin at the AGU fall meeting: 'Studente wint nu al prestigieuze onderzoeksprijs' (January 26) DUB
38. News item on Utrecht University's news pages on the Outstanding Student Paper Award won by Annemarieke Béguin at the AGU fall meting: 'Measuring the tiniest magnets' (January 19) HBVL
37. Interview on Belgian Radio 1 (~7 min, national radio station) regarding mysterious sounds in the atmosphere (January 14)
36. Article on Het Nieuwsblad (Belgian national newspaper): 'Mysterieus geluid in Nederland opgelost' (January 13) Het Nieuwsblad
35. Article on RTV Noord-Holland: 'Onheilspellend geluid houdt Grootebroek wakker' (January 13) RTV NH
34. Article on Belang van Limburg (Belgian newspaper): 'Mysterie rond 'akelige' geluiden in Nederland lijkt opgelost' (January 13) HBVL
33. Article in MetroXL (Dutch national newspaper/website): 'Raadsel 'mysterieuze geluiden' opgelost' (January 13) MetroXL
32. Article on Ondertussen.nl (Dutch Blog targeting youth): 'Eindelijk een verklaring voor het mysterieuze geluid in het westen van Nederland' (January 13) Ondertussen.nl
31. Interview for 'Editie NL' (RTL 4), a daily television program focussing on national news featuring an item on mysterious sounds in the atmosphere (January 12) RTL
 
2015
30. Friday Earth Sciences Talk (FEST), department of Earth Sciences, Utrecht University: 'Unravelling the short-term behavior of the Earth's magnetic field' (October 16)
29. Article in NRC Handelsblad: 'Nederland lag vroeger waar Marokko nu ligt' (June 15) NRC
28. Article on Nu.nl: 'Utrechtse onderzoekers lanceren website die verschuiving aardkost toont' (June 11) Nu.nl
27. Article on RTV Utrecht: 'UU brengt verschuiving aardkost in beeld' (June 11) RTV Utrecht
26. Article on Scientias.nl: 'Waar lag Nederland miljoenen jaren geleden?' (June 11) Scientias
25. Article in Telegraaf: 'Waar lag jouw tuin in het dinotijdperk?' (June 11) Telegraaf
24. Article in Algemeen dagblad: 'Waar lag jouw woonplaats 200 miljoen jaar geleden?' (June 11) AD
23. Large press coverage associated with our PLoS ONE paper and www.paleolatitude.org: 'Waar lag jouw woonplaats in het dinotijdperk?': Pzc, De Gelderlander, Brabants Dagblad, Eindhovens Dagblad, BN De Stem, etc.
22. Lecture 'Origin and significance of the geomagnetic field' for the Bachelor Honours program at Leiden University (June 3)
21. Supervisor for the 'UTalent' program of Utrecht University (extracurricular science program for excellent high school students, May 18-21)
20. Popular science lecture 'Rapid changes in the geomagnetic field revealed' at the van Waterschoot van de Gracht penning award ceremony for prof.dr. Cor Langereis (February 5)
 
2014
19. Workshop 'Presentation skills' for Students' association Utrechtse Aardwetenschappen Vereniging, 25 November
18. Popular science lecture for the J.C. van der Meulen foundation, 14 November, in Hoorn (NL)
17. Kennislink: 'Kan het aardmagneetveld binnen een eeuw omklappen?', following the press release of October 22 (October 29) Kennislink
16. Short coverage in the science pages of De Volkskrant (national Dutch newspaper) following the press release of October 22 (October 25)
15. Press release 'Omkering polen duurt langer dan 100 jaar', website Utrecht University, October 22.
14. 'Waarom is ijzer magnetisch, in tegenstelling tot andere metalen?', in 'Vraag het de UU' ('Ask Utrecht University') of De Telegraaf (largest Dutch national newspaper), September 20.
13. 'Wat als... de aarde stopt met draaien?', article in the September issue of popular science journal KIJK (pp. 26-30) on the Earth hypothetically stopping its rotation around its spin axis
12. 'Aardse krachten', article in the September issue of popular science journal Quest (pp. 84-87) on the Earth's magnetic field
11. 'Werking broncorrector blijft mysterie', article in specialist journal 'Veeteelt' on Earth radiation and animal wellfare Veeteelt
10. 'Draaien de Noord- en Zuidpool ons dood?', 30 min radiointerview on FunX (national Dutch radio station targeting youth in the larger cities) regarding the nature of the Earth's magnetic field and potential geomagnetic reversals
9. Popular science lecture for the Dutch Geologist Association (Nederlandse Geologen Verening, afd. West-Friesland), 7 March
 
2013
8. Workshop 'Presentation skills' for Students' association Utrechtse Aardwetenschappen Vereniging, 26 November
7. Article in GEA: 'Het aardmagneetveld verzwakt: het einde der tijden?' GEA
6. Scienceguide: 'Aards magneetveld verzwakt' Scienceguide
5. Kennislink: 'Brengt afnemend aardmagnetisme ons in de problemen?' Kennislink
4. Page wide article in the Science pages of De Volkskrant (national Dutch newspaper) regarding my PhD thesis: 'Beter weten waar het noorden was'. Volkskrant
3. Interview Business News Radio (BNR) (~3 min, national radio station) regarding my PhD thesis
2. A number of articles derived from the ANP press release regarding my PhD thesis, e.g.: de automatiseringsgids, Powned, PC-active.nl, etc.
1. ANP press release regarding my PhD thesis, published by most national Dutch and Belgian newspapers, such as: de Volkskrant, Nu.nl, de Telegraaf, BN de Stem, RTV Utrecht, AD, de Morgen, Reformatorisch Dagblad, Trouw, etc. UU